Improvement in stock-cars



W. B; VANVLEET. Stock-Car.'

N'o. 205,157.71Y i Patented Ju'he18, 1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

WILLARD VANVLEET, OF VINCENNES, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STOCK-CARS.

` Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,157, dated June 18, 1878; application iiled November 26, 1877.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WiLLARD B. VANVLEET,

of Vincennes, Lee county, Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railway Gars and Pens. This is made substantially as set forth hereinafter, referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a vertical cross-section of the car, and Figs. 2, 3,V 4 are various detail views.

This invention is an improvement in railway cars and pens adapted for transporting and holding stock, te.; and consists in the features hereinafter set forth.

The car has a removable frame, D, for inclosing the stock. This is attached by posts E and bolts or other means. It has bottom boards H resting on the car-floor on each side. The side boards H H H are held by posts F, and form the main portion of the sides. The posts E F are pivoted together by bolt I, so as to stand together when in place on the car. The posts E have on top boards G, forming the tops of the sides. The ends of the frame are made separate, and are removably con-v nected to the sides by bolts or otherwise. One end being removed forms a door. The usual long car has two of these frames set end to end. The frames have cross-beams L on top,

with braces K from the projecting ends down to the sides to strengthen them. They have also diagonal ties or braces M to hold them in shape rectangularly. The bottom boards H are made shoe-shaped at one end, R, so as to act as runners in moving the stock.

When stock is toV be removed from the car for water, feed, rest, &c., the posts E are unfastened at the bottom and raised outward, as

in Fig. 2, turning on pivots I. This sets the frame free, resting on runners H, and it is run off onto an inclined platform, and thence to the ground to any distance, causing the stock to walk along as it is drawn. The stock is speedily removed in this way, and fresh stock in other frames is put on, so the train can go on without the usual trouble and delay of unloading and reloading. These inclosures with stock are drawn along to any distance to suitable ground for feeding, rest, &c.

When desired, stock can be drawn over pasture-land for feeding, and moved about as required. It can be pastured any desired length of time. Parts of iields can be fed off without disturbing other parts; and troublesome stock can be taken care of while other portions can be pastured otherwise.

Different parts of the apparatus admit of modifications and variety of use.

I claim- 1. The stock-carhaving frame separable'into self -supporting panels, substantially asset forth.

2. The stockcar having the inclosin g openbottom frame D, movable for loading and unloading, substantially as set forth.

3. The inclosin g open-bottom frame D, with base-boardsformin g runners, and having beam L, with projecting ends, and braces from them to the lower part of the sides, substantially as set forth.

WILLAR-D BENTLY VANVLEET.

Witnesses SAML. J. WALLACE, LEONARD STARKWEATHER. 

